Utah's conservation officers work to protect our wildlife heritage on behalf of ethical sportsmen and others who value wildlife. These dispatches represent a fraction of the ongoing efforts to protect your wildlife resources.

Sanpete County man sentenced in elk poaching case

Friday, 27 February 2015 17:44

A Sanpete County resident was recently sentenced in Sixth District Court for illegally killing several elk without a valid permit during the winter of 2013. In January of 2013, while conducting a big game winter range patrol near the town of Mayfield, DWR officers located the fresh carcasses of two dead elk.

Five deer killed in two counties

Monday, 23 February 2015 16:35

Conservation officers are investigating three deer-poaching cases, two in Box Elder County and one in Carbon County. One of cases is particularly disturbing: Someone used a vehicle to chase and run over a pregnant doe and two fawns. Officers are asking for assistance from members of the public who may have information about any of these cases.

Wasted waterfowl in Davis County

Thursday, 12 February 2015 15:40

On January 25, 2015, DWR officials were called to Howard Slough Waterfowl Management Area concerning a number of wasted ducks and geese. During their investigation, DWR officials located 15 wasted Canada Geese and 10 wasted ducks of various species. The vast majority of these carcasses were fairly fresh, leading officials to believe that the wasted birds were disposed of during the month of January.

Buck poached in Lehi

Thursday, 29 January 2015 16:46

On January 23, 2015, DWR Officer Sean Spencer received a call from an individual reporting a dead buck in a field in Lehi. During the investigation, Officer Spencer determined the small 2x2 buck had been illegally killed with a rifle and left to waste.

Buck deer poached in Sevier County

Friday, 05 December 2014 09:37

On November 28, 2014, a group of cow elk hunters located a poached 4x3 buck deer in the area of Tidwell Slopes, in Sevier County, and contacted the DWR. Utah DWR Officer Eric Bond responded to the area and found the buck had been shot and left to waste.

Bighorn sheep poached in Daggett County

Tuesday, 13 January 2015 15:44

Conservation officers with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are asking the public for help identifying those responsible for illegally killing a trophy Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep ram. The ram was likely killed in November 2014.

Buck poached on winter range in Sanpete County

Thursday, 04 December 2014 15:07

A small 2x3 antlered buck deer was poached on the winter range in Sanpete County, and DWR officers are looking for the public's assistance in identifying those involved. The dead deer was located at the head of the Axhandle Canyon area, on the South Nebo Mountains in Central Utah.

Juab County brothers plead guilty to poaching trophy elk

Friday, 02 January 2015 09:36

On November 18, 2014, two Juab County brothers each plead guilty to felony Wanton Destruction of Protected Wildlife charges in the Juab County, 4th District Court. The convictions stemmed from a incident on October 8, 2014, in the Levan area of Juab County, in which a UTIP hotline caller reported the poaching of a trophy bull elk. The caller reported that a large-antlered bull elk had been illegally shot earlier that day.

Branch antlered bull elk killed near Currant Creek

Thursday, 04 December 2014 14:49

On Nov. 25, drifting snow was beginning to conceal the evidence when a concerned citizen called the UTiP hotline to report a suspicious dead bull elk in the Currant Creek area. A DWR officer responded to the area and found a freshly killed bull elk that had been left to waste.

Buck, doe and fawn poached in San Juan County

Wednesday, 10 December 2014 11:09

Conservation officers with the Utah Division of Wildlife are asking the public for help in identifying those responsible for the illegal killing of three deer in Montezuma Canyon. On November 23, 2014, Officer Dennis Shumway found the entrails of three deer (and the hide and head of a doe and fawn) near the turn-off to Cross Canyon in the wash of Montezuma Canyon.

Officers seek information in Davis County deer wasting case

Thursday, 20 November 2014 16:06

On October 26, 2014, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Conservation Officer Krystal Tucker received information from a concerned citizen regarding a wasted two-point buck deer. Officer Tucker responded and found the buck hanging in a tree near the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in a North Salt Lake canyon.